1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a paper processing apparatus, which can sort papers into papers to be cut, e.g., dirty securities, which are not suitable for use in the market, and complete papers (securities). The invention can process papers to be cut as required.
2. Description of the Related Art
A paper processing apparatus with a cutting function, which can sort papers, e.g., securities used in the market into complete securities and dirty securities, and which can cut securities to a predetermined size, has been put to practical use recently.
This type of paper processing apparatus has a checking section for checking the condition, e.g., dirt, of the securities transferred from a supply section one by one, a complete paper holding section for holding the securities checked as complete papers by the checking section, and a cutting section for cutting the securities checked as papers to be cut to size less than a predetermined size by the checking section.
The securities set in the supply section are picked up one by one by a pick-up mechanism, and transferred in a transfer path. The possible conditions of the securities, which are being transferred in the transfer path are checked one by one by the checking section, which is provided in the middle of the transfer path. The conditions include complete condition, dirty condition, different kind of papers and impossible to check.
The securities checked by the checking section are sorted into dirty papers, complete papers, and unusable papers such as different kinds of papers and papers which cannot be checked. Then, the complete papers and unusable papers are guided to a complete paper holding section and an unusable paper holding section.
On the other hand, dirty papers are transferred to a cutting section to be cut to a size less than a predetermined size by a cutting device.
In the above cutting device, if an abnormality occurs, many dirty papers are passed through the transfer path from the time the abnormality is detected until the main body of the apparatus is completely stopped. The blade of the cutting device can become damaged and the number of dirty papers actually cut by the cutting device does not conform to the count of the number of dirty papers to be discarded.
Moreover, there is a problem wherein various kinds of papers become mixed, and sorted papers being transferred are jammed in the cutting device or the transfer path directing papers to the cutting device. There is also a problem wherein identification data for each paper being transferred and the order of papers being transferred does not correspond. Moreover, there is a problem in which papers other than dirty papers are erroneously guided to the cutting device.
In order to prevent paper other than dirty paper from being cut, a paper processing apparatus is proposed which incorporates a retreat mechanism and a retreat gate into the transfer path before the entrance to the cutting device.
According to this type of paper processing apparatus, when an abnormality occurs in the cutting device, papers other than dirty papers are guided to the retreat gate, so that these papers can be prevented from being directed to the cutting device.
However, the use of this type of retreat mechanism is unnecessary in normal processing making the processing apparatus complicated and enlarged. Moreover, the manufacturing cost of the paper processing apparatus is increased.